Chicago Reader Review

Recommended

The world of Samuel Beckett's play is an existential void, inhumane and unreliable. Most directors and actors assume that its denizens know this already, which makes their actions insignificant even to them. But under Ronan Marra's direction, the characters still seek order and continuity in the universe. Just as their frustration gives their struggle emotional urgency, so the intense physicality of this Signal Ensemble Theatre production generates a powerful momentum. Who would have thought that this extensively analyzed 20th-century drama could be rendered so immediate and engaging?

Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, 773-347-1350. Through 2/20: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 PM. $10-$15; industry nights Thu.